Karnataka assembly defies governor, trust vote on Monday

The H D Kumaraswamy led JD(S)-Congress coalition won a two-day breather as the assembly was adjourned despite Governor Vajubhai Vala intervening twice asking the chief minister to conclude the floor test on Friday. The debate on the constitutional authority and legality of his order to the legislature overshadowed the House proceedings. The House will now meet on July 22 (Monday).

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy moved the Supreme Court and challenged the Governor’s letter which had asked him to complete the trust vote by Friday. Besides this, Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao moved the SC seeking clarification on the July 17 order that allowed the rebel MLAs to opt out of trust vote in the state Assembly. JD(S) led by Kumaraswamy impleaded itself into the case.

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The petition mentioned that under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution a political party has a right to issue a whip to its legislators. This right is not circumscribed by any condition nor can it be subject to any restrictive orders from the Court even prior to the issuance of the whip. Further it said, any enquiry into the Tenth Schedule is a proceeding of the Legislature of the State within the meaning of Article 212 of the Constitution.

The stormy debate that started on July 18 following a vote of confidence motion moved by the Kumaraswamy, continued for the second day in a row.

Meanwhile the ruling coalition sough the Assembly speaker to postpone the trust vote until the House discuss the horse trading of MLAs and showed photo proof of BS Yeddyurappa’s PA Santosh, reportedly boarding a plane with independent lawmaker H Nagesh who remained absent in the Assembly.

Kumaraswamy hits out at BJP alleging some legislators were offered Rs 40-50 crore to switch sides. Accusing the BJP of resorting to ways to circumvent anti-defection law, he questioned, “Whose money is it?”

One of the MLAs, Srinivas Gowda told the House that he was offered Rs 5 crore by the BJP BJP leaders Ashwath Narayan, CP Yogeshwar and SR Vishwanath. Immediately minister Krishna Byre Gowda demanded a probe into the issue. The BJP members dismissed the allegations.

The Governor had earlier told the CM and the Speaker that he did not have the requisite numbers to prove majority and hence sought them to prove majority by Friday 1.30 pm. While this order was not adhered to, the Governor issued a fresh order to complete the trust vote by Friday end.

The BJP which staged a dharna by sleeping inside the Assembly on July 18 said they were ready to wait till whatever time the ruling party members want to discuss the issues but requested the speaker to complete the vote of confidence motion on Friday.

Urging the ruling government to complete the discussions soon, BJP leader Suresh Kumar said, “Confidence motion will lose its sanctity if it is delayed.”